Department Spotlight

Whitworth Music Faculty Earn Spokane Symphony
Seats

The Spokane Symphony is alive with the sound of
Whitworth musicians. Joining the ranks of five other Whitworth music
professors and adjunct faculty, Associate Professor of Music Richard
Strauch and adjunct music professor Roberta Bottelli recently won
seats in the Spokane Symphony following highly competitive auditions
involving musicians from around the country.

"Everyone in the Music Department knows about the very high
quality of playing and musicianship by all of our faculty, both
adjuncts and full-time professors," says Music Department Chair
Dan Keberle. "One reason we attract so many gifted students
is because they want to study with these gifted teachers."

Auditions for the Spokane Symphony involved learning multiple passages
of music, preparing solos, and sight-reading to prepare for up to
three rounds of auditions. The try-outs took place behind a screen
so that musicians were hidden from the audition committee until
a final decision had been made.

Strauch was selected as second trombone from among nine musicians.
He has been on the substitute and extra list for the Spokane Symphony
for the past four years and has performed in numerous other musical
productions in the region. Currently, the symphony has three trombone
chairs, and openings come up only when a tenured musician decides
to leave. Tenure comes after one year of probation in the symphony.

"I love orchestral music as much as I love playing the trombone,
and I have always enjoyed being a part of the great performances
of great music," Strauch said. "I am especially looking
forward to playing Stravinsky's Firebird and Tchaikovsky's Fifth
Symphony later this season."

Strauch is the director of the Whitworth Wind Symphony; he joined
the Whitworth faculty in 1997. He received his bachelor's degree
from Wheaton College Conservatory of Music and his doctor of musical
arts, master of musical arts and master of music degrees in trombone
performance from Yale University.

Bottelli, who secured chair four for the cello, has also been a
substitute player for three years with the Spokane Symphony. Three
cellos auditioned for the one open cello position. Bottelli received
her bachelor's degree from University of Puget Sound and her master
of music degree from Central Washington University. She is currently
a candidate for a master of arts degree in cello performance and
musicology at Eastern Washington University. This is Botelli's first
year as both a Spokane Symphony chair holder and an adjunct professor
at Whitworth.

"I love working with other musicians and playing inspiring
music," Bottelli says. "The arts are so essential, and
it is a privilege to share this wonderful music with others."

Other Whitworth musicians who are members of the Spokane Symphony
include Jeri Bentley, Rick Westrick, Lynne Feller-Marshall, Cameron
Dunlop, Paul Raymond and Margaret Wilds. Students gain an appreciation
for their professors' music ability by having the opportunity to
hear them perform with such a distinguished group of musicians,
Keberle said.

"It also means we have several of the best instrumental musicians
in the entire Inland Northwest teaching private lessons and conducting
ensembles at Whitworth," Keberle says. "It is wonderful
for Rich and Roberta to get some public recognition of their outstanding
talent, as well as to get to play regularly with a very, very fine
symphony and its wonderful conductor, Maestro Fabio Mechetti."